How NEDC Linked Saruduna Community Back To Nigeria

•Excitement Over Construction of Bridge in Mayo Ndaga  •Community Leaders Hails FG

 Years after Nigeria gained its independence, residents and leaders of  Mayo Ndaga Community in Sardauna Local Government area of Taraba State are celebrating the construction of a bridge linking them to other parts of the country.

 The bridge in Mayo Ndaga is connecting Kan Iyaka, Njawai and Cameroon republic.

 Mayo Ndaga, a border community with Cameroon usually finds it difficult to access other parts of Nigerian communities in Sardauna due to lack of bridge which have over the years re

 A makeshift bridge linking the communities to Nigeria had been damage and usually washed away by erosion.

 The community which is a trans-border trade route between Nigeria and Cameroon suffered untold hardship whenever it rains and the makeshift bridge is washed away, local residents said.

 Help however came to members of the community when the North East Development Commission NEDC constructed the first bridge for the community after the community voted to belong to Nigeria during the 1961 plebiscite.

 The bridge which was initially constructed by NEDC was  damaged by erosion however the NEDC again remobilized the contractor back to site and ensure the bridge was reconstructed and new protective wall was built.

 The move which community leaders said has rejuvenated their hope in Nigeria is described as  the first time the federal government is sitting a project in Mayo Ndaga since 1960

 Village head  of Kan Iyaka town bordering Cameroon republic , Ardo Buba Hammawa said the bridge has made us fully Nigerians, we were not Nigerians without this bridge because we use to be cut off from the country and disconnected from our people.

 "This is the first time we are feeling the presence of Federal Government in our community,  our people were usually  cut off from the country anytime the wooden bridge damaged, sometimes we stay days without going to Markets, school or doing any business with other Nigerian communities.

 "This road is a transborder road, it's the road linking Nigeria to Cameroon from Saruduna Local Government and it's a beehive of business activities, since 1960 there's no bridge in Mayo Ndaga, all the bridges are makeshift with wood but we want to thank the Federal Government, NEDC, Federal Ministry of Works for this bridge and Senator Yusuf A Yusuf  who is the chairman of the Senate Committee on Special Duties who supervises NEDC.

"The bridge has made  our area more accessible to other parts Nigeria," the Village Head said.

 A commuter who spoke to our correspondent said several times motorists spend days trying to access the area with local supplies due to the lack of bridge.

 "Anytime the bridge cuts off and we spent four days without accessing Nigeria and this has a very negative effect on us because we spend days and night trying to cross to the otherside , you will begin to wonder if these people are part of Nigeria but with this bridge we can drive from Lagos, Kano straight into the community .

A former Federal Director Alhaji Abubakar Bobboyi Jauro , OON on his part commended the Federal Government and the its agencies for constructing the bridge after many years of suffering by commuters plying the route.  

 "We should thank the Federal Government because that road have been there for a long time and each time we tried, nothing happens until now that the federal government have taken it serious.

 "The business activities which takes place between Nigeria and Cameroon along that route would greatly improve and our people would feel belong to Nigeria, before now our people stay days and couldn't not access other part of the Nigerian communities in Sardauna due to the lack of bridge but now the people now have not only human access but vehicular access to other parts of the state."